The Council of the European Union has published a notice of meeting and provisional agenda for the Ad Hoc Working Party on Drafting the Accession Treaty with Montenegro, scheduling the meeting for 6 July 2026. The working party is set to discuss technical adaptations aligning Montenegro's legislation with the EU acquis in five chapters, as well as a negotiated measure on fisheries.
The meeting will address technical adaptations for Chapter 12 (Food safety, veterinary and phytosanitary policy), Chapter 23 (Judiciary and fundamental rights), Chapter 24 (Justice, freedom and security), Chapter 29 (Customs union), and Chapter 31 (Foreign, security and defence policy), all based on the EU acquis as of July 2013. Additionally, the agenda includes a discussion on negotiated measures for Chapter 13 (Fisheries).
These adaptations are part of the EU accession process, requiring Montenegro to align its laws with EU standards. The technical adaptations may necessitate significant legislative and administrative reforms in Montenegro, particularly in areas such as food safety, judiciary, and customs. Progress on these chapters could accelerate the overall accession timeline, though delays may arise if adaptations are not fully implemented. The fisheries measure may impact Montenegro's fishing industry, requiring adjustments to comply with the EU's Common Fisheries Policy.
No prior coverage of this meeting exists in recent records. The meeting is a procedural step in the accession negotiations, which have been ongoing since Montenegro opened talks in 2012. The working party's recommendations will feed into the broader accession treaty drafting process, with the European Commission and the European Parliament expected to follow up on the outcomes.